Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1887-07-11
THE POpE.DAWSON MURDER,
THE RESULT OF A DETECTIVES
INQUIRY INTO 1T.

One Of the Supposed Culprits in the
Meshes Of the Law-0ne Good Result
Of the Investigatio.-Etc.
Theo. G. Metzler, chief of the Cali
fornia State Detective Bureau, Of San
Francisco, who has been in Alturas
county during the past two months,
examining into the circumstances at.
tending the murder of Pope and
Dawson, the placer miners who were
shot at their claim on the Snake river,
in October last, has about concluded
his labors. He has already presented
voluminous preliminary report, and
will make bis supplemental and final
report this week, and then return to
California, leaving Kennedy. one of
the men suspected of the double muir
der, in the county Jail at Haley.
Mr.. Metzler is an experienced de-
tective, having been on the regular
force in California and in private
service for nearly quarter of CEN
fury. During that time he ferreted
out many. complicated cases, and sue
ceeded in procuring evidence which
has landed in the State Prisons, for
terms varying from Eve years to life,
many of the most noted criminals of
the coast. He says be has the Pope
and Dawson case in such shape that
the local officials can either 90 to
trial or drop it if in their judgment
the evidence is not sufficient to con-
vict; and that he must now return to
California, where several important
matters demand his immediate atten-
ton. Mr.. Metzlcr and bis force do
not work for stated rewards, except
incidentally. They always charge
their expenses and a reasonable fee
for their servicess
When the summons came from
Haley for a detective, Mr.. Metzler
concluded that, as this was q new
country and he had heard good deal
about the many acts of lawlessness
along the Snake river ever since the
days of the overland coach and pony
express, he would come himself. On
reaching Bliss he stated that he was a
California man with a few thousands
to spare, which he wished to invest in
a placer claim. He then procured a
horse and went from ranch to ranch
and claim to claim from Salmon Falls
to the mouth of Raft river. 1t took
him about month to do this, and by
talking mines, and carefully avoiding
any mention of the murder, he finally
got hold of what elews were to be
got. He then went to responsible
parties, to whom be made himself
known, and finally succeeded in get
ting evidence that warranted him in
procuring the arrest OF Kennedy.
But the many and grave obstacles
in the way of a thorough working up
of the case were almost insurmounta-
BILE. People living apart from civil
cation are naturally suspicious; and
as a reign of terror has existed along
Snake river, caused by the frequent
murders, stock thefts, house and crop
burnings, etc., the sparse settlers are
little acquainted with each other, and,
for aught they know to the contrary,
each PERSONS neighbor may be red.
handed murderer or stock thief. The
greatest circumspection was therefore
necessary; and when Mr.. Metzle,
finally got hold of his evidence he
rightly considered that he had com.
pleted one of the most difficult pieces
of detective work of his life.
! Whether his investigation result.
in conviction or not, Mr.. Metzler i.
satisfied that it will have given the
honest settlers there confidence in the
local authorities, while it has at tn.
same time convinced the malefactorl
that murder aud other crimes alons
Snake river will no longer be permit
ted to 60 unpublished. This will, O
itself, be an enormous gain to tn
country.